The latest collection of LOEWE Paula is full of colorful characters united under the emblem of the Smiley – the sunny yellow circle with oval eyes and a hand-drawn, upturned mouth. For Jonathan Anderson, the Creative Director of the fashion house, the Smiley is an icon of freedom, positivity, happiness – it’s about trying to make the world a more positive place through creative subversion.
The collection presents a selection of clothing and accessories are emblazoned with the Smiley motif within Paula’s Ibiza rave-y summer collection. The joyous circle recurs throughout, outlined in mosaic on t-shirts tie-dyed in bright pastels or contrasted against black and white. It liquefies and melts, drippin down in threads, on an oversized jumper, and turns into a pattern on a shirt with matching swimming shorts. There are Smiley as insouciant buttons on a formal white shirt, while the idea of ‘secret’ Smileys is explored in marguerite lace, with the symbol woven into the sleeves of an asymmetric shirt and throughout a floaty sleeveless maxi-dress.
On accessories, the Smiley gets possibly bigger and bolder. Basket bags woven from palm leaves and a Slit bag are emblazoned with an oversized yellow patch, and so are double Tote bags in which prints of mermaids, goldfish and waterlilies culled from Paula’s rich pattern archive are juxtaposed either side of a zip. On a small calf leather Gate Pocket bag and a Heel Pouch the Smiley is literally as big as the bag itself. Smiley leather charms and dice with alternate faces featuring the icon’s eyes as ovals, squares and love hearts allow for further personalization, which is a defining trait of both LOEWE and the balearic subculture.
The Smiley drop of Paula’s Ibiza will be available in stores and online from 11 June 2020.
Read also: LOEWE Launches the New Paula’s Ibiza SS2020 Collection
